Heathen
by TafferAnakara
Summary: As a boy, Karras never really fitted in with society . He was brilliant, an inventor, and lonely. He found peace in religion and became a servant to the Builder. However, his heart was not at rest.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Err….for those I had promised about this story being published in July, I am sorry. Stuff came up….plus I was lazy. And I kept re-writing the beginning, it probably still sucks. I am sorry. This story is 3 parts: The Early Years, The Rise of a King, Betrayal (subject to change).

READ CAREFULLY! This is how_ I _portray Karras. I made him a bit more sinister and crazy. These ideas don't reflect what has been said by members of TTLG. If I get off topic or I really screw the character up, then beat me.

Thank you.

Disclaimer: I don't own Thief. Those bast-er…people at Edois do. I am not making money off this, so don't sue. All you'll get is a stick of chewing gum and 25 cents that has guck on it.

The beginning REALLY gave me trouble. Be nice.

**Heathen **

Part 1: Early Years

A boy sighed loudly, as he stood still amongst the busy activity of the streets. It was early morning and people dashed around before the day became too hot. He watched as toddlers eagerly pulled on their mothers' arms, a man weaving through traffic with cattle to be taken to the slaughter house, street urchins working together to pickpocket unsuspected victims, and other little things that people tend to overlook. The boy adjusted the strap of his overstuffed messenger bag; the weight had become a nuisance. He looked down at his attire: a brown tunic that barely fit his thin form was tied with a worn leather belt. His tan pants were full of holes and certain parts were patched up. His boots showed signs of age, like they were hand-me-downs. They were once brown but were now dark grey. The soles had worn down and they made his feet sore, he had his share of blisters. He grasped the thin strap of his bag and took in a deep breath and set out down the street.

He was already late.

It was almost mid-morning by the time Karras reached the small shop. It was nestled in between two large buildings, which made the little shop almost impossible to see. You had to walk slowly just to catch a glimpse of it. Its roof was pointed and showed signs of aging with the many wood patches that covered it. The windows were smudged with mud, oil and other things found on the streets. He jogged up the wooden steps that were in desperate need of repair. He took hold of the door knob and pushed the door open. The light chime of the bell overhead greeted him. He closed the door slowly as to not let it slam, and walked to the counter. The shop was bigger inside than it appeared from outside. Sunlight poured through the windows and clouds of dust danced under its rays. There was a faint, dry smell that lingered in the air. It smelled a bit like sawdust and metal, a smell he liked. He stopped in front of the waist high counter and rang the rusted bell. He cringed a bit at the sound as it sounded more like a squeak than ding. He drummed his fingers on the wood and hummed quietly. A crash startled him so much that he actually cried out a bit. There was a long string of swearing coming from the back. Karras leaned over the counter with a worried expression on his face.

"Builder damnit! It took me days to stack those cans correctly! Now everyone's order is mixed up!" More swearing came forth followed by the sounds of tin being kicked around. There was a sound of stomping on the wood floor, a door opened and then was slammed shut. An old man came into view, his robes hung of his thin form like sagging skin. He turned his wrinkled head toward the front and saw a very worried and shocked young boy standing in front of the counter with his mouth opened a bit as if about to laugh. The old man straightened up and walked toward him. He leaned over the desk and looked at the boy with a hard expression. He suddenly burst out laughing and grabbed the boy by the collar and pulled him over the counter with some difficulty. He hugged the boy to his bony chest and patted his back.

"Karras my boy! How are you? How long where you listening?" Karras fought to free himself but the old man kept a fine grip on him. The old man rubbed his hard knuckles on the boys head, messing up his short dark hair.

"Can't….breathe!" was all Karras managed to squeak out. Without warning, the old man let him go, causing the youth to fall to the ground.

"My apologies," he said. He looked down at the boy, "should you be in school boy?" Karras shook his head.

"It's not like anybody cares weather if I am there or not, Thedus." Thedus didn't miss the sarcasm or sadness in his words. He could understand why though. Karras had a noticeable speech disorder that made him sound geeky. His voice was high pitched and he received many stares and laughs. He had been beaten sometimes and some of the bruises he had were painful reminders of a few events. However, Thedus overlooked that and liked the boy for who he was. Karras was intelligent and he was great in figuring out plans for Thedus's business. He could remember a lot of information and took many notes. He also helped Thedus do a bit of repair work on the shop. Thedus was getting too old to handle most of the work and had enlisted Karras's help, a frequent customer of his. He watched as Karras shifted the bag's strap to another place on his shoulder, he was becoming uncomfortable at the tense atmosphere in the room. He hated it when Thedus was quiet, it was a sign he was thinking too hard. With a sigh, Thedus slapped Karras on the back, knocking the wind out of him.

"Why are we standing around watching our tongues grow hair? We've got work to do!" Thedus said with a dry laugh. Karras smiled a bit, Thedus said things that didn't make any sense to him, but it made him happy. He put his bag down by the fireplace and grabbed a pair of torn, dirty, heavy gloves and walked toward the anvil that was in the middle of the work area, and grabbed a piece of steel wool from and wet cardboard box. He then picked up a piece of rusted iron and began to rub the steel wool over it. Today was going to be long.

Karras looked up every so often as he watched Thedus deal with customers. Some came in to pick up orders and some just came in to chat. So far the day just dragged on, each hour that passed was a blessing. He had skipped lunch, much to Thedus's orders that he should eat, he wanted to get his task done before he left. A young woman entered the shop and approached the counter with a shy expression on her small face. Her clothes showed off her rank in society. Her dress was made of woven silk and it shined a beautiful forest green as the sunlight hit it. Her waist was thin, probably from the tight corset that pushed her small breasts up, giving them the illusion of looking bigger. Her golden hair was tied up into a tight bun that showed off her long neck. Her eyes were a hypnotic blue that captured the stares of many men and women alike. Her eyelids and cheeks were dusted with a light pink, making her look like a delicate doll. She spoke in a musical voice to Thedus, who nodded to her. He turned to face his employee and told him to get order number thirty-five. He nodded and ran to the back room. Karras knew that woman well. She was Lady Tilia of the Re-dorias House. She came about a month ago and asked for a golden necklace to be made. To him, it was a special order as it was the only one that Thedus let him do. He had begged the old man to do it, and through much argument let the boy take the job. He worked on it everyday he came to the shop, and he put the finishing touches on it last week. He pulled out one of the slots in the wall that has the number thirty-five on it and placed it on the small desk. In it was a medium sized black box that had the Re-dorias crest on it. He took the box out and opened it by unhinging the small hook lock. He looked down at his work in awe and with pride. The necklace was made from gold with a little bit of silver in it. The clasp was diamond and it had a long golden string that would hang down the back. The front was braided with gold and silver with a single sun catcher crystal pendant. He spent part of his time getting the right shape of the crystal that he almost gave up. He snapped out of his trance and closed the box back up and ran out to meet Thedus. He passed the box to Thedus who shook his head.

"You made it lad, it's only right that you give it to her yourself." Karras glared at Thedus, for he knew that his master was trying to get him involved with other people. He held the box out to her and rolled his eyes. Tilia didn't miss that insulting gesture and didn't take it. Thedus growled a bit and slapped Karras on the back of the head, which made Tilia, laugh a bit. Karras rubbed his head and spoke to Tilia while handing out the box.

"For you dear lady," he said in a deep awkward voice. It took all of Thedus's strength to keep from laughing hard. She reached for the box and opened. She looked at her order and gasped, her eyes filled with tears. She turned to the two workers and with a very unlady like movement, leaned over and hugged Karras, his face became buried within her bosom.

"Thank you so much! I love it! Here is some extra coin for your trouble." She let go of him as he started breathing heavily. She reached into her satchel and pulled forth a large bag of money.

"This one is payment for the order," she said. "And this," she continued while reaching into her satchel again this time pulling out a smaller bag, "is for your employee Thedus." She tossed that bag to Karras who caught it without difficulty. He smiled at her for a brief second and then frowned.

"Well, I must be off then," she said with a polite curtsy. With that she was gone, leaving two stunned people behind the counter. Thedus turned to Karras and let out a laugh.

"She hugged you lad! What was it like?"

"Painful" he said as he rubbed his face with his sleeve, as he tried in vain to get rid of the strong sent of perfume.

Thedus laughed even more.

"You know, deepening your voice only made you sound worse. You sounded like a drunken jester!" He was now roaring with laughter, Karras rolled his eyes. Sometimes Thedus was annoying and he just wanted to hit the old man. After a good laugh and a drink of water, Thedus began to talk a little more seriously.

"Excellent work lad! I should get you to do more orders. In the meantime, clean up and go home. You deserve the rest." Karras wanted to argue that he could stay longer; it wasn't like there was anyone waiting for him back home. His parents really did care that he was out late; sometimes they wished he was dead.

"Don't ask to stay later. I'll kick you out anyway." With that Thedus left the room slowly. Karras sighed and began to sweep up the shavings and metal pieces. He picked up his bag and locked the door from the inside and went out into the rust coloured streets.

The sun began its descend in the west, bathing the city in a warm rust colour glow. Only a handful of people were out, most were getting their last minute shopping done, while others closed up shop. He had to get home quickly otherwise he would be the target of thieves and other nocturnal folk. He passed a rather large building and stopped in front of it and looked up. It was the Hammerite cathedral St.Edgar, its large stained glass window proudly displayed above, its colourful designs shimmered against the setting sun. The massive towers loomed over, casting dark shadows over him. He say pigeons fly around the weather vane at the top and he smiled. He liked the cathedral's design and loved the inside even more. His family went to church, often on the weekends. He loved the peace the hymns gave him, and how the Hammers welcomed new people to their faith. His smile turned into a grin, he was at peace. The sound of the 6 o'clock bells snapped him out of his trance and he hurried off home, looking back every so often at the grand palace of worship. He reached his front door just as the sun sank out of sight.

A/N: Soo….what do you people think? I am sorry some parts are written in a lame way. It's 2:15 am and I was actually falling asleep in a few places. So, should I continue or not? I promise it will get better. This chapter is just a small introduction. Thedus appears quite often in Part one.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Family

A/N: For those of you who are a "tad bit" confused about events that happened in chapter one, I'll explain. Thedus (old dude) owns a small shop located in Stonemarket Plaza that specializes in many things. He sells anything from potions to weapons. He also has a passion for forging, and will take requests usually from wealthy customers. He's in his late fifties at the start of the book. Also, I am reluctant to say Karras's age (as I really don't know) but I am saying around 14 at the start. He's been with the hammers for a long time, so I would say he joined them in his late teens early twenties. That's just a guess.

Also, I am sorry about updates. School has started and you all know what that means. About "Forbidden Shadows", I do have plans to finish it. Yes, I seem to have figured out a bloody plan as to how I want it to be told. It also needs a new name…the current title is too corny.

(+) symbol indicates my annotation. See note at end.

Please read the note at the end. It will review the chapter.

Thanks.

Karras opened the oak door and cringed at the creek it made. He walked into the front hall and shut the door behind him, turning to lock it. He shuffled his dirt crusted boots on the rug; it showed its battle scars from previous muddy shoes. He bent down and begun the impossible task of unlacing them. The buckles came apart with ease, but the laces had become knotted to such a degree that he couldn't figure out were to start. After freeing himself from his boots, he threw them aside and slumped toward the stairs that led upstairs to his room. He was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to sleep. As he started up the rich oak stairs that were lined with rich red carpet, he heard the sound of thundering footsteps coming from the living room. He was in no shape to run and instead waited for the blow he was about to receive. A large man came storming down the hallway toward Karras. His once elegant shirt was torn and stains of alcohol were clearly visible. His dark hair was in disarray with clumps of dirt and sweat weaved in. His eyes were blood shocked and they had an unreadable emotion in them. However, Karras knew that it was a mixture of disappointment, anger, and hate. He had seen this display before, and he knew what was to follow. He stared at the man, the man he called father.

"Where the hell have you been?!" his father shouted, as he did a clumsy stop in front of his son. Karras cast a dark look toward his father but held his tongue. There was no point in arguing with his father. He was a fat, drunken, man who had no emotion or patients to have an intelligent conversation with.

"Since when did you care?" the young boy said, his voice tired and strained. "It's not like there is a warm welcome for me here." His father gave an unreadable expression, a look that often terrorized Karras. His father was someone who loathed sarcasm and those who spoke it to him were usually sent home with more than just a broken nose. It was how his father controlled others, through fear. He controlled his enemies, his friends and even his family. In his mind, people obeyed when they were afraid. It's how you gain loyalty, in a sick but effective way. He lashed out and grabbed his son's bag strap and yanked hard. Karras would have lost his balance if not for the fact that he had a firm grip on the railing. If he had lost his balance, he would have fallen down the few steps, causing the long strap to wrap around his neck. He cried out a bit as his enraged father pulled him close to his face.

"Remember boy," he tightened his grip. "I am in charge." Karras gave a silent agreement by lowering his eyes to the floor. He heard his father mumble something, it almost sounded apologetic. He felt his father's large hand let go of him and he sank to the ground, his hand still gripping the railing. He didn't lift his gaze from the floor as he heard his father leave the front hall, leaving him alone. He didn't know how long he stayed in the hall. Everything was deathly quiet; the only sound he could hear was the soft ticking on the clock above. He didn't even realize that he was breathing hard. He felt his fingers tighten on the railing but he could not find the strength to stand. His bag felt as if it had gained a few pounds and it was pulling him down to the ground. Sighing, he snapped out of his trance and with much difficulty he pulled himself up. He still gripped the railing, as if his life depended on it. He let out a puff of air and started to climb the stairs, his legs failing him every step.

He finally reached the top of the stairs and stared down the dark hallway, the only light came from a few lamps, their candles burning dimly behind their glass prisons. He began the walk down toward the end of the hall, his feet dragging along the carpet. As he walked passed the doors, each one leading to a room that was not in use, he heard a quiet sob coming from behind one of them. He stopped in front of and turned his head toward it. He knew what made that sound and his heart ached just hearing it. He walked toward the door and pressed his ear to it, his hand rested on the brass handle. It was a woman's voice, it was quiet but firm. Some of her words were broken by her sobs and he could only make out a few of them. One of them was a name, a name he knew well but never understood.

"Hear my prayer…Builder….son…Jarren…son…" was all he could make out. She let out a loud sob and said no more.

He felt anger wield up inside him, his blood boiling. He felt his face heat up, his hand shook on the handle. It was his fault; she was like this because of him (1+).

"Father is not coming," he spat silently. "He never cared for you--or me." He let out the last part with a tired sigh. He wanted to open the door and run to her, to tell her that she had him. But another part of him told him to not waste his energy on her. He released the handle and dropped his arm by his side.

"Good night mother," he whispered. With that he continued down the hall toward the door at the end. He opened it and climbed the old wooden stairs to his room.

The door to the small room opened with a loud squeak. Karras leaned on the handle, his body limp with exhaustion. He moaned as he placed his free hand against his forehead, he could feel the thundering pain of the headache against his palm. He took a deep breath and forced his body to move. He walked into the room and without looking back he let the door close. He stood for several minutes, his head still bowed as his headache got worse. He tried to focus his eyes on a dead spider that lay on its back, its legs curled to its small shriveled body. The floor around it seemed to swirl into a vortex, drawing the spider in to suck it down (2+). He felt a wave of nausea wash over him, and he winced as he swallowed the bile back down. Concentrating on a single object wasn't helping. He was too weak and tired to go back downstairs to get some water. He felt as if he could just fall down and sleep on the dirty floor, not caring if spiders and rats came to nibble on his skin. Letting out a long, heavy sigh he slumped over to the bed, slipping his bag from his shoulder and letting it drop to the floor with a heavy thump. He groaned as he felt his eyes roll back in his head and his body fall forward. He landed face down on the soft mattress, the weight of his body creating a ditch in its form. He blindly reached for his pillow which was nothing more than a once white sack stuffed with feathers. Tucking it under his sore, heavy head, he fell into a dark dreamless sleep.

A/N: Sorry about the short length of this chapter, I was running out of ideas. To review:

I had this idea that Karras came from a middle class family. Also, to try and explain as to how he became the creepy wacko we all know and love. I originally wrote his mother's character as being a selfish, uncaring, whore. His father left her for another. But, I either became bored or just didn't like the idea. So, I cut it all out and wrote new roles. His parents are married (although not happy). His father is a drunkard who is in charge of shipping and receiving over at the Docks. He does beat his son, and puts him down in every possible way. His mother is not in the best of health. She believes that her husband loves her and that her son is handsome. She's ill most of the time, often with a cold. She sometimes goes into long trances that can last hours. She is frail and weak, probably the reason why Karras is frail in body. She passed it on. I'll explain a little bit more on his appearance next chapter.

The little (+) symbols with the numbers beside them are notes I tagged. I'll try to explain as best as possible what my take on that quote is.

(1+) Karras is referring to his father in this one.

(2+) That's one bad headache. Some people say that if you focus on one object, the pain will subside. Yeah…if you are carsick.


	3. Chapter 3

A/n: looks at last update Whoa….Hehe…sorry about that. ; Yeah. Not much to say other than the fact that school is KILLING me. I am writing this instead of doing homework, simply because I got very fed up with one project….I hate it. I have actually finished this story, in my head. I have yet to write it down though. 

Thank you.

Reviews:

Shagrat: Thanks. Yes, I will be talking more on his obsession with machines. Once he becomes part of the Hammer Order, then we'll see some more on the subject. He's put to work in the factories. 

Jaheira: Thanks you. More coming….slowly.

Alexia Krycek: Praise be!

Chapter 3

Rain pelted the thin glass window to the small bedroom that morning. Grey clouds turned black as they rolled over the small house. Inside, a young boy slept soundly though not peacefully. The rain became heavy and thundered against the glass, he groaned into his pillow. A clash of thunder erupted throughout the sky, almost vibrating the glass. He awoke startled and fell to the floor with a grunt. Moaning he held his head in his hands, the day was already starting on a bad note. He grabbed the bed post and pulled himself up and he kneeled at the edge of the bed, resting his upper body on the mattress. He took in a deep breath and let it out rather fast triggering his headache again. With another moan he pushed himself to his feet and walked to the mirror on his dresser. His face looked old. Under his eyes red bags formed, his pale face reminded him of the undead; his dark hair was in disarray making his appearance worse. He pressed his thin lips together and stared at the floor for a while. He looked back at his reflection and noticed that his shirt was filthy and wrinkled. Although he didn't really care, he couldn't go to school like that. _School _he thought, he heard a click go off in his brain.

"Sweet Builder, School!" He reached for a small pocket watch on his night stand and flipped it open. The small hands read 8:35 am, school started in half an hour and it took well over twenty minutes to get there. Placing the small watch on the dresser, he rummaged through the drawers, hopefully coming across a shirt that didn't look like a disaster. He pulled out a beige one, it was large but it'll do. Better be dressed than late, especially if your teacher was someone named Halbloom. He pulled off his wrinkled shirt with difficulty; some of his hair got caught on one of the buttons. Finally he got it off and threw it to the floor as he proceeded to find the top of the other shirt. He caught a glimpse of his bare chest and sighed. Although he wasn't thin, he wasn't all that healthy. He could see his ribs as he breathed, making the skin look tight. His shoulders were boney and his arms had little muscle on them. With an angry huff, he pulled the shirt over his head and grabbed his book bag, never bothering to make sure if he had everything. He dashed down the hall and down the stairs to the front hall. He pulled on his boots but didn't bother to lace them. He opened the door and stopped half way. He turned slowly to glance up the stairs, a sad expression on his face.

"I'll see you tonight mother," he whispered. With that he closed the door and locked it.

He ran as fast as he could, his lungs and body screaming in protest as they were not used to be being pushed so hard. He tried in vain to try and protect his bag from the rain, he didn't care if he got wet as he knew clothes dried alright, but his worn books wouldn't. He tried to tuck it under his coat which soaked up the water and stuck to him. He dodged booths and wagons as best as possible, he managed to know some apples from one of the stands. He shot an apologetic look to the vender who was shouting things that would make a noble woman faint. He reached the school and climbed up the steps. With an exhausted sigh, he pulled the door and went in.

The school was almost right next door to the Hammer Church, where the boys learning Forgery and Blueprinting were sent to learn from the Smith Masters there. It was a working relationship; the boys learned the art of Forgery and Blueprinting as well as the Builder, while the church provided funds for students who had problems paying the high tuition fee. The school was large enough to hold quite a number of students, ranging from the ages of 6 to 24. Anyone could attend the school as long as they could afford it. A majority of the students were male but it didn't really show all too much. The front hall was large and used for gatherings, a large stairwell led up and then branched off to the west and east wings. The classes were held at the far end off the school, near the garden. He jogged up the stairs and dashed to the right wing where Halbloom was waiting.

Karras pushed the door to Halblooms class open, his body shook with spasms as he struggled to breathe. He was bent over as he held on to the door handle, his clothes dripped with icy rain water and his bag slumped over in a desperate attempt to drag him down. He heard whispers through out the class, some snickered. He looked up to meet Halbloom's sour expression. Halbloom was a thin man in his late forties, with shoulder length grey hair that he kept in a ponytail. His long nose earned both stares and respect. His eyes were a dull green colour and they squinted even when he wore his glasses. He drummed his long fingers against the chalk board which was already filled with complicated designs about construction.

_I must be really late_ he thought. He gave a weak smile to his teacher. Halbloom was not impressed.

"I suppose an explanation as to why you are late is out of the question," he said dryly, "as I see you are out of breath and strength." Some of the students laughed quietly. K lowered his head in shame. With a sigh Halbloom's dry voice rang out.

"Well, sit down boy! I have a lot to cover and the more we wait the more reasons I'll have as to why I made you all stay later." Karras nodded and quickly found his seat; he took off his coat and hung it on the back of his chair to dry. He put his bag on the desk and prayed that nothing happened to his books. He couldn't afford to damage any more books. He already had two replaced as his father threw them in the fire once, during an argument that he couldn't remember. One by one he pulled them out and placed them on the desk. Thankfully none of his text books were damaged although their spines were a little damp. He pulled out his ink and pens and reached in for his notebook. Only soggy mush met his fingers. He closed his eyes in disbelief and slowly pulled it out. He held brown mush that was dyed black; it was all that remained of his notebook. He threw it back in the bag and let out a puff of air, the stuff that Halbloom was writing down was important and now paper was unavailable to him. Halbloom hated it when students shared materials; it was a sign of being unorganized. Karras would just have to remember what was being said. He felt a small tap on his shoulder and he turned around only to stare into bright blue eyes of girl. He knew her as Mia; she was one of the few girls in the class. She was allowed to learn about construction and molding but she wasn't allowed to accompany the boys when they went for their lesson on Forgery at the church. Karras was a little disappointed in that, he wanted to see more girls try out for this class. She would have been good, she was even smarter and more with it than the some of the boys. He liked her; she was the only one in the class let alone school that didn't question his awkward high voice or looks. He had to admit that she was pretty. Golden curls that fell to her mid back framed her heart shaped face, her small nose was speckled with a few freckles and her wide blue eyes held many secrets. He shook his head and addressed her.

"What?" he whispered as to not disturb Halbloom who was sketching the workings of a mechanical cell door. She shyly handed him some paper that she had torn out of her notebook.

"Here, you might need this," she whispered softly, so softly that he barely heard her. He reached for the sheets and smiled at her.

"Thank you," he stated. She lowered her head and pushed some of her hair back nervously, her face turned red and she returned to her notes. Karras raised an eyebrow at her actions. A voice rang out.

"As fascinating as Mia is Karras, she is not part of the lesson," Halbloom stated as some of the boys laughed. Mia went redder and she sunk a little in her chair. Karras nodded and began to write notes. The rain still continued to come down hard.

It was going to be another long day indeed.

The rain hadn't let up by the end of the lesson, so afternoon activities were moved indoors. Apart from lunch, other activities included: chess, soccer, various games of tag, and a ball game that reminded Karras of kickball. Karras never took part in the activities; he would get dizzy and would have to sit out. He preferred to have lunch and to read over his notes. Although lunch included many food options, he preferred to have porridge. It provided him the energy to make it through the day but it wasn't enough to make well enough to play. He dipped the metal spoon into the grey mush and stirred it around so that the brown sugar mixed with the oats. He let out a puff of air; he was both bored and exhausted. He felt the presence of someone standing in front of him, and he rolled his eyes up to greet the person. It was Mia carrying her lunch tray, a question etched into her expression.

"Is anyone sitting here?" she asked pointing to the stool that sat across from him. He shook his head and watched her sit down. He watched her with interest as she picked up the apple on her tray and began to nibble nervously at its skin. She looked up and saw his face go red as he quickly lowered his head and continued to eat his hot cereal. She giggled a little and he looked up. To Karras, girls were strange creatures. They had this ability to make men swoon over them with little effort, as well as crush their hearts with soft words. Although he never developed a real interest for girls, Mia was different. Unlike the other girls that laughed and smirked at him, Mia seemed to like hanging around him. She didn't even seem to mind his slight voice imperfection.

"So, thanks again for the paper," he said quietly.

"Pardon?" she asked between bites.

"Thanks for loaning me some of your paper," he said a little louder.

"Oh! You are welcome. It would be bad to miss anything Halbloom said, he doesn't repeat." K nodded in agreement. Halbloom hated being asked to repeat what he just said, calling the one who asked a "dunnerhead".

"What are you doing after school?" she asked him, finishing up her meal.

"Nothing much. Stopping by the book store to get a new notebook and then to home. Why?" Mia looked at down at her hands which had twisted nervously into her dress.

"I was wondering if I might accompany you. I would like to get to know you better, apart from talking in class and at lunch." She said. Karras's jaw dropped open, a girl asking to walk home with him. Was she mad? He was the most unattractive boy at the school and here was a beautiful girl asking to walk home with him. Him! Of all people.

"Have I offended you?" she asked sadly, "because if I did, I am-"

"No! No!" he defended, "I am not in anyway. It's just that, no one, especially a girl, has ever asked to hang out with me let alone walk home with them." She smiled.

"I am glad." She got up and picked up her tray. "Meet me in the Grand Hall after your Forgery class. And we'll walk together." He nodded and watched her walk away. He called out to her,

"You'll be allowed to come to Forgery class with us one day Mia, I promise you." She smiled and continued on her way. A strange feeling feeling filled him, a warmth that stirred in his heart. It actually made him a bit sick and he pushed it away. He turned to face the clock and his eyes widened. Forgery class was in ten minutes, and he was nowhere close to the basement where a tunnel led to the factories. Not even bothering to clean up he stuffed his books back into his bag and dashed off. He wondered why time hated him that day.

A/N: Forgery class and the walk home will be next chapter. Exciting no? He'll join the Hammers in a little while. Family angst ahead!

Thanks to all who read this, it means a lot. 


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Holy Shit an update! Whoot! Sorry…writers block and school work…Maya is a bitchy program to master…I find anyway.

Anyway, I am glad people are enjoying this! I really am…so on to the next chapter then! Actually I can't believe people are actually reading this….I mean…wow.

**Selete:** You know what, there does need to be more Karras fiction. There is the odd story where he is mentioned and there was one that was written about him, but it was about his time as a mechanist, and not one on his life. And you are welcome! I am going to finish this sometime this century. :) Thank you.

ALSO, I guess I should name my chapters, so starting now, they will have names. Forgive any errors I might have missed. P.S. my Hammerite speech is awful…

Chapter 4: A Stroll in the Rain

Karras stood up as far as his toes would allow, as he tried to see over the shoulder of a taller student. The Master Forger was showing the students how too properly cast iron and he didn't want to miss it. The taller student pushed him back a bit.

"Wait your turn," he hissed. Karras growled a bit, he didn't like being smaller then the others. He sighed as he tried to find another opening but was without success. He shoved his hands into his pockets and stared at the floor, and listened to the sound of the metal being hammered as well as the Master Forger drone on in his holy speech. He then felt himself being pushed as the group was moving on. They reached a small table that had instructions as well as stone block on it; Karras ran for the table and made it just in time before that taller boy could block his view. The taller boy growled as Karras gave him smirk of victory. Karras looked up at the Master Forger and rested his elbows on the table, his mind enchanted.

"This here," the Master Forger started as he picked up a stone, "is all we had to start with. Through the Builder's guidance and will, we were able to shape this stone into buildings, statues, towering arches, and weapons all in his name. We didn't need such things such as wood, for it rotted and withered when wet. Stone stayed sturdy and good. Praise be, build your houses out of stone." Karras smiled at that, and reached out and picked up one of the stones and examined it. He ran his hands over its smooth surface and picked at the nicks in every so odd place. The Master Forger looked at him with keen interest and curiosity, but he didn't say anything on the matter. Karras looked up to find that the room was quiet, and he put the stone back down quickly, so quickly that he missed the table and it fell to the ground so of it chipping. He gasped as it did and all he could do was stare, it was too quiet. He kneeled down and picked up the two pieces of stone in his hands. He almost cried when he saw them, he had just embarrassed himself in front of the Master Forger. Then the room roared with laughter as he got up slowly still looking at the stone mournfully.

"You are a screw up anyway!"

"Did you see that? He broke the stone."

"Loser"

Those were the only things he could make out as his head was spinning. The Master Forger was growing angry, and his voice rang out above the laughter.

"I will have silence in the Builder's house! Show some respect to your classmate! He was examining the Builder's work, something one of ye should have done as well!" The students nodded and bowed their heads. The Master Forger rubbed his temple and ordered that class ended now, the students cleared fast all save for one. Karras still stared at the broken stone. He sighed and turned slowly and placed the stone in Master Forger's withered hands. He took the pieces and looked at them quietly; he looked at Karras who had his head bowed in shame.

"I-I apologize sir, I was just curious," Karras said meekly. He wasn't one to talk to people, even if it was the Master Forger. The Master Forger just looked at him with unreadable expression on his face. He then smiled a bit and reached out a hand and placed on the boy's shoulder. 

"May the Builder praise thee," he whispered. Karras looked up at him but didn't say anything. He bowed rather clumsy and ran off after the others. The Master Forger just watched as he ran down the hall, and he smiled.

"I like that child, Builder be blessed."

It was the end of the day and Karras stood in the great hall, his head bowed toward the ground. It wasn't fair sometimes, that he wasn't perfect. He had just made a fool of himself in front of everyone, not like he cared about his classmates, but it was in front of the Master Forger.

"What in the Maw was I thinking?!"" he said aloud as he stamped his foot, a loud echo rang through out the hall. He sighed as he slumped forward; he just wanted to go home, even if he had to face his father again. Facing him was better then embarrassing himself in front of the Hammers. He looked at the clock near by as it chimed four o'clock.

"Ugh! I have been here for over twenty minutes, I am leaving!" He turned for the door and grabbed the handle. He stopped when he felt a small hand grasp his arm, he turned to see Mia.

"Sorry I am late. Halbloom kept me after class, I was re-writing an assignment. Thanks for waiting this long." She smiled at him and all he could do was blush a bit.

"Um…you are w-elcome. Let's um, go." he took hold if her hand and dragged her outside.

It was still raining and the two stood under a tarp, watching it.

"I can't believe it rained all day," Mia said as she hugged her book bag to her. K nodded as he watched the dark sky, rain could still be lovely. He looked back at her and watched as she tried to hide her book bag under her coat. Then an idea struck him, he took off his cloak and wrapped it around her tight. He then pulled the hood over her, which was too big for her so her face was completely hidden. She brushed the hood back to look at him, he was smiling. She returned his smile and then she burst out into giggles.

"Never would have I thought you were also a gentleman, thank you," she said as she pulled the hood back up. He nodded and adjusted the collar on his coat so that it covered his mouth and nose.

"We should go now, before it gets dark," he said quietly. Nodding in agreement she followed him out into the wet streets. He was soaked by the time they reached the end of street, and they quickly turned down the alley. The close together houses added little shelter but at least they weren't getting poured on as much. He was quiet the entire walk, he had almost forgotten she was these until she spoke to him.

"Are you alright? You seem distant, if I wanted a quiet walk I would have gone alone." He didn't miss the sadness in her voice, he didn't mean to ignore her, he just wasn't used to being involved with others. He shook his head.

"I am sorry Mia; I am just not good at talking to others. I mean especially to girls, I am lucky if I get as much as a hello." He rounded the corner as she followed closely. She grabbed his arm tightly, stopping him.

"It's alright, I can understand why people shun you, you are different," she paused for a moment, "but that's okay, I like different." She smiled at him, rain drops ran down her pale face. He just stared at her and lowered his gaze, he couldn't look at her. She cocked her head and her expression became sad, almost compassionate. She reached for his hand and held it in hers. He looked up to see her still smiling, he blinked.

"We should keep moving," was all he said as he wiggled his hand from her grasp and continued to walk. She sighed and pulled the hood of his cloak down over face as she followed him through the alley and back onto the streets.

It was another half an hour before they reached her place, a small apartment complex that overlooked the canal and Old Quarter. He watched her take off the cloak and hand it back to him.

"Thanks for the cover," she said cheerfully. He looked at the worn rag he called a cloak for the longest time before taking it from her slowly. He put it on and put his hands in his pockets. He bowed to her and began to walk away; she ran to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Wait," she said so quietly that he almost didn't hear her. He turned to face her.

"Yes?"

"You leave without saying good-bye?"

"Fine, good-bye"

She looked at him for a few moments and with a bit of hesitation she leaned up and kissed his cheek. She lingered for a while before pulling back, to look at him. He wore an unreadable expression on his face.

"Thank you for the walk," she whispered before she turned and ran inside the apartment building. He watched her close the door, still dumbstruck by her silly action.

"Indeed girls are strange creatures," he whispered to the air. He pulled his hood up and walked home, he didn't once look back toward her place. After a while he stopped and leaned against the side wall of a shop. He look toward the sky and closed his eyes, Mia's kiss still warm on his cheek. And reached a hand to it and smiled softly to himself, as he remembered how soft her lips were.

"Perhaps it was a good day after all," he said quietly to himself. He let out a laugh as he let the rain fall against his face, for once he was at peace.

A/N: Augh….I rewrote this too many times that I am now sick of it. I honestly didn't know what to write and so I wrote down the first thing that came to mind. So, yeah this is a weak chapter. Any ideas on how to make it better, I am looking for ideas, anything that could help. Ideas for the next chapter are also good.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

A/N: Sorry for the lack of update. I had written a chapter 5 at school during breaks in class, but I forgot to save it to my USB and when the school wiped out the computers for next term, the chapter went with it. So here it is…again. 

P.S. my Hammerite is terrible

Four years had past, the winter months were drawing to a close, as the last bit of snow started to vanish from the streets. Still, it was cold enough to freeze overnight and the wind could bring tears to your eyes. People passed each other, trying to get to their chores done before it froze over. A young man carrying a basket of fruit and tea which was the only food available during winter, walked passed a group of people who had all stopped to read a newly posted notice on a wooden post. The man walked up to the group and mumbled "excuse me's" and made his way to the front. His dark eyes glanced over the large black writing of the notice.

**JOIN THE BUILDER'S ARMY**

Art thou a strong lad looking for good hard work? 

Looking for a place to call home as well as a family?

Want to aid the Builder but unsure how to?

If thou has answered Ye to any of these questions then the Builder needs thee! The Order of the Hammer is looking for strong lads to join our fold. If thou art interested, take a application sheet from the box below and cometh to St. Edgar's in Stonemarket. Those who are under the age of 13 must have their parent's permission. Present your filled out application to the High Priest Markander. 

**Builder Bless Thee.**

The young man looked at the box, it was full of papers. He reached down and plucked one from the pile and read it slightly. His lip pulled into a smirk as he folded it up and continued home. He was so deep in thought about considering joining the Order that he didn't see the woman collide with him.

"Ack!" he fell backwards and landed hard on his rear, dropping his basket causing the food to fall out. He felt rage build up within him and he looked toward the woman who had also fallen down.

"Watch where you are going you- Mia?" The blond haired woman looked up at him.

"Karras?" She crawled to him slowly, "that you?"

He smiled wide and embraced her tightly.

"Mia, how are you? Haven't seen you since we graduated last year." He helped her up slowly, brushing the snow off her. 

"I am well," she responded helping to pick up the goods. "I have been working as a barmaid." Karras frowned a bit as she told him.

"With all that education on stone and buildings you got a job as a waitress?" She glared at him. 

"Yes, want to know why? No man wanted to hire a woman for a landscape job."

"I find that distasteful," he replied sharply. "Women are not the weak minded sex as society makes them out to be. They can quite the little problem solvers and negotiators as I do so say myself." Mai could tell he was angry by the way she was treated, he didn't like society all that much and she couldn't blame him. She put a hand on his shoulder softly. 

"And what about you, how are you fairing?" He sighed at her question but turned to her slowly. 

"Alright, I was hired over at the Museum to fix pipes and lights," takes a deep breath, "I hate it, the money I make isn't enough to keep my family fed…I mean my mother fed." Mai gave a sad expression at the mention of his mother. 

"How is she?" He didn't answer her. "Oh." They stood there feeling rather embarrassed by each others company. He broke the silence first.

"But I found a way to make even more money." She eyed him.

"Oh?" 

He showed her the application and she looked at him with disgust. 

"You wouldn't….." Her eyes were harder then diamonds and colder then ice as she stood there staring. He felt sick all of a sudden.

"It will help me care for my mother," he defended, "she needs this money more then anything. You understand right Mai? You have seen her…she is Hell!"

Mia wasn't amused by his choice or reason. "There are better ways to make money rather then prostituting your soul to that Order. They will change you, trust me they will." Karras sighed, he knew about men that had gone insane while in the Order but it was because they were weak. He wasn't a weakling; he would show them that he was strong. 

"Mia, I will still be me. I can always quit if worse goes to ugly. And I will still be your friend," Tried to hug her but she moved away, making him frown. 

"No you won't, you'll just become like all of them. Cold blooded killers who use religion to cover up their crimes. Please reconsider this." Mia looked up at him pleading, but all he did was shake his head.

"I made my choice, and I will live by it. I promise you I won't forget you my dear friend, I would rather die then to forget you." He smiled at her but dropped it as soon as she walked away, her head bowed. "Mia!" She never once turned back and disappeared into the mist. Sadly he rolled up the application and went on home; he wasn't going to have a great night. 

He sat for hours at the table, re-reading the application. He answered the basic questions such as Name, Age, Parents, Class, Education, and Skills. He left out income as he had no idea why the Hammers needed to know that as well as medical record. After double checking his responses he folded up the application and put in his pocket. Over the course of the four years, his father had left him and his mother for another woman. Karras didn't care, at least his mother wouldn't have to be around that man anymore, his father could now screw up the life of another woman. His mother had gotten better and she was now venturing outside her room more often, to his relief. He took care of her the best he could such as fixing up the house when it needed repairing and preparing her meals. He didn't want to leave her alone but he needed money, and this was a quick way. Plus he could send her fresh food from the Order and offer a place to stay if needed. Yawning long and wide, he dragged himself up to bed as he was to meet with the High Priest the next morning. He hugged and kissed his mother goodnight and crashed onto his bed, hugging the pillow. He tried not to think about Mia's angry face, but it just haunted him all night. 

"I am sorry my friend, truly I am."

A/N: I decided to give the Meeting its own chapter as it is important. Enjoy this one for now. Sorry about the length, I know this story is taking eons.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

A/N: I am moving this story along quicker then originally plan. Hope those that read this are enjoying it so far. arras

Karras sat in the High Priests office; the sound of a nearby Grandfather clock ticked offered little comfort. He was nervous but not scared to meet the head of the most powerful Order in The City. He had his hands in his lap, the application form folded neatly in his right hand. He looked around the room which had walls painted blood red, with molding made of gold that had small carvings etched into it. The floor was covered with lavished red velvet carpet, with gold trim. Bookcases made from the finest oak lined the walls, each one stuffed tightly with books and scrolls. Karras got up and moved to one of the cases and pulled a book off the shelf and stared at its cover: _Paganism. _Curious, he flipped the book open to no particular page, and read the first paragraph.

"… _Pagans live in small communities called Tribes, where each member works to maintain a social status within it. Shamans (see page. 24 on Ranks for more info) are at the top of the community, and serve the Woodsie Lord or Trickster (see page 41 on Deities for more info), followed by warriors, hunters, and common tribe members. Pagans are very social with each other and have a strong bond with their mates and the Earth."_

He arched a brow a bit, and kept on reading. As he flipped through the book, he took note of shaman circles, the pagan lifestyle, how they built their homes, what they ate, and how they fought.

"Interesting people," he muttered out loud. He turned another page and stared at a well inked drawing of what looked like a goat man with red eyes and large horns. Karras placed a hand on the drawing and studied it. He read the caption under the picture: " Fig. 23 _The Woodsie Lord, Trickster. Drawing_ _found on cave wall, re-created by Brother Munson." _As he studied the drawing he was unaware of the door opening and a figure walked to him. The figure placed a heavy hand on Karras's thin shoulder. He cried out in alarm and dropped the book. He looked up to see a tall middle age man, who wore a brilliant red robe with a white sash around his waist that displayed the Order's symbol of the red hammer. He arched a graying eyebrow at the young man as if to expect something from him. Karras gulped and nervously handed the man his application form, the man snatched it and walked to his desk, sat down, and opened the form. Karras stood there, unsure of what to do. The man looked up and motioned him to take a seat, which Karras quickly did. The man glanced at him with narrowed eyes.

"You wish to join thine Order?" he asked in a soft but demanding tone. Karras nods quickly. "You may speak young one." Karras felt his stomach twist into a painful knot, his chest started to hurt from an irregular heartbeat.

"Y-yes sir. I wish to join your ranks and learn the ways of the Builder." The man stared at him for a long time, which made Karras very uncomfortable. A slow smile crossed the Hammerite's face. He laughed a bit, which made Karras relax for a second then shrink back into a worried façade.

"How wonderful! We are always looking for lads with a desire to embrace the Builder's love and teachings." He extended his hand to Karras. "I am Grand High Priest Markhander."

Karras just stared at him, not saying a word, just nodding in agreement. Markhander arched a brow at him, somewhat concerned for the young man's sudden silence.

"Speak up lad, I am old and tired and wish to return to my duties. What is thy name?" Karras shook his head and looked up, suddenly a wave of embarrassment washed over him. Markhander stared down at Karras, though old the power he held was great and he could throw him out easily.

"Oh! Um….I am called Karras," Karras answered softly, his voice squeaked. Markhander bite his lip a bit.

"Just Karras?" Karras nodded.

"Yes, it's what I am called. All I had ever known," Karras answered truthfully, it really was the only name he had ever known. Markhander sat down at his desk, took out a sheet of parchment and a bottle of pure black ink. He dipped his quill in and started to write, not stopping to take a break at anytime. Karras stood and watched, unsure of what to say or do. After ten minutes of waiting and hoping, Markander, put the quill down, rolled up the parchment, and sealed it with wax, the Hammer seal holding the pages together. He handed the notice to Karras who took it with a questioned face. Markhander smiled softly at Karras.

"Take that to the temple of the Builder near New Market. There you will begin your training as an acolyte, then a novice and hopefully an honorable brother." Markhander leaned back in his chair, his hands fold in his lap. Karras looked at him, his mouth open, the noticed clutched tightly in his hands. He went to Markhander and hugged him.

"Thank you! I'll make you proud sir! I'll be a worthy solider of the Builder!" Markhander was a bit shocked but he allowed a smile and patted Karras's back.

"I am sure you will be. I have faith in you young Karras. Now go quickly." Karras bowed to him, and ran out of the room. Markhander glanced at the half open door, he chuckled to himself.

"I like that young lad; he's got a lot of energy in him." With that, the old priest closed his eyes and nodded off to sleep. He felt a headache coming.

Karras unlocked the door to his dorm; he swung the door open and just stared. The room had one window which looked like no one had cleaned it in years, and smooth cold grey walls. There were two beds parallel to each other by the window, meaning he had a roommate. There was a small room in the back that had a torn curtain covering the doorway. Upon inspection, it was a place to go to the washroom, it was dirtier then the window. Karras put his novice clothes on one of the beds and sat down, the bed was hard as a rock but he didn't seem to mind. The sheets were the cleanest thing in the room, and the bed was better then the one he had at home. He looked dup and watched the small electric light flicker, then short out. He let out a long sigh of frustration and worry, he already felt home sick. He was worried about his mother and how she would cope without him to bring her tea in the morning. She had shown signs of improvement before he left, with that thought his worry melted. He undressed and got into his night clothes, a long white undershirt that was too bog for him. Sighing he laid down and tried to sleep on the hard bed. With a grunt and after moving around for a good half hour he finally fell into a dreamless sleep, the first one he had in years.

Karras was facedown in his gruel the next morning. Every time he snored, a bubble came up. The other boys stared at him, some shaking their heads, others laughed. It wasn't until a Masterforger came around and whacked Karras upside the head. He awoke with a snort, his face dripped of his breakfast, he sputtered and snorted the meal out of his nose and mouth.

"Would be embarrassing to drown in thy own meal," the Masterforger stated. Karras wiped his face with his napkin, despite having a sleeping through the night easily, this morning his body protested about getting up.

"I am sorry sir," Karras whispered, lowering his head so that he didn't see the other boys laughing. The Masterforger shot them a stone hard glare which hushed them instantly. He patted Karras on the shoulder lightly with his large hand.

"Not to worry my lad, it happens. I do suggest however you don't do it again….I may not be here to drag you out again." With that he walked away, smacking more boys down the line. Karras sighed and pushed his bowl away, somehow that ruined his appetite for the morning.


End file.
